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Lives across the lands weren't always covered with creatures of our own. It was ruled by the humis at first, however, the Gods made the humis share the lands with us. Thus allowing us to come into existence. Humis call us "creatures of the unknown" but we call ourselves; The Folks. I'd like to pretend that the humis continue calling us "creatures of the unknown," because they only call us a term that is highly disagreed upon for centuries along with The Folks. "Magataurs" is the term. Ever said this word in front of another folk, then you bet to make a run for it because you ain't coming back alive for that one.
But I believe "creatures of the unknown," fit the demons in tales and legends much clearer since they came from a world that's unknown to us.
Across the lands, we roam as the peaceful folks we were attempting to be, but the humis had to make it difficult for us to live by kidnapping some of our kind. None of them returned alive and were forgotten until we realized we were losing some of our members of the community we created deep down in the Merge Forests. Merge Forests were once two different types of trees until they were fused by the Gods' powers. Infact, just thinking about it, the Gods shaped the world from a normal, plain one to a more exciting one.
Some lands don't meet the logic standard points while others do, and it makes exploring so much fun! We believe that there are at least three Gods up there; Vita, Nous, and Valor. Three of them survey and gave us the strength to continue with our lives, hoping to end the conclusion of this war.
The war? Well ... we are at war with the humis.
Years- centuries before I was born, I was told by my aunt that humis despise us and wanted to remove what was left of their precious land from the taint we have left on it. But when my mother explained it, it was like we were hunted for our parts. Humis is what we like to call them, but I bet you out there just call them "humans." Humis became greedy for our powers that were gifted by the Gods from above. And one decision they marked upon us was to capture every last one of us and steal the powers from our souls.
It made the plains of the lands dangerous and more cautious when traveling upon them. Because any humi can jump out and capture you with a metal net in their equipment.
Especially when the danger levels became high in the Oakine Forests. Each moment, each step is just inching to jump out at you. Those monsters were consistently challenging the chances for a humis to pop out of nowhere. It gets even worse when the roots of the trees smelt a humi walking on by with their stupid grins. Any folk that wasn't a humi and knew the intelligence to not become one of them, knew to stir away from those beasts.
It's always tiring to move one spot from another while some of us keep an eye out for any of them on sight. My group was traveling through the terrain with a total of five members- if you included me. To introduce some of them, only a few are here. I glanced over at a flaming lioness, positioned next to a sibling of mine. That flaming lioness is my sister, Carla. Not biologically sister, but she is a true sister of mine if I ever I had one.
She's strong and brave ... but sometimes has a loudmouth- as well as having some anger issues. The one she's arguing with besides her is my brother- biologically brother and a twin at that. Both of our hair colors were lilac and our feather wings were the same, except for our feather patterns- which I never understood the purpose of them. Back to my brother, nothing is ... really said about him. He's just a weak and pathetic member of the group so don't pay any attention to him.
I sighed in disappointment when I heard the shouting raise to a level I disliked the most. ... You guys. I picked up the empty bucket and walked over to them, halting when I neared, "Shout, even more, you'll attach more monsters on our behind, Carla."
The lioness paused and turned her head at me, lowering her head as her ears drooped as well. "Forgot about that..." I could tell she felt guilty in the tone of her voice.
"Finally you realize!" My brother sneered at her before turning towards me, "Thank you, dear sister." He shot the lioness a glare, turning and walking away from us.
I shook my head, sighing through my nose and glancing back at my sister. Always a grumpy person and knows when he's in the right. Such a smartass brother I was born alongside. I wish I wasn't. Carla rolled her eyes at the sight, shaking her head, "He will learn someday when to keep his tongue in his mouth at all times. ANYWAY, I should go back to scouting the trees some more before I was DISTRACTED by some fool."
"Remember to be in-"
"Yes, I know, Purity. I'll remember to be in those stinky forms." Carla nodded her head, getting up to her paws after sitting down and headed for the tree's lines. She disappeared from sight as I sighed quietly. Yes, I am called Purity; the pureness of every innocence there is. That is what my name meant when my mother told me. I'm always proud of it and kept to the meaning of my name. It is a guide for us when we grow into our adult lives.
I turned and headed back to the nearby stream, sitting down when I arrived. I gripped the bucket tightly before putting it into the water, scooping up just the right amount of water I needed. I placed it on the ground as I glanced around. Currently, my group stopped for a break from walking on our feet. We'll be continuing walking forward in the morning for that perfect, safe spot to rest our bodies for good.
But that's just a dream, not a goal in reality.
I stood up, grabbed the bucket's handle, and balanced out the weight I manage to hold up. I turned and walked back over to the campfire carefully, making sure to not spill the water. While I approached, I spotted Tyler coming out of the woods with three dead rabbits by their back legs. He had a wide, cheeky grin on his face and I could tell he was proud of what he brought. Tyler was the leader of our group. He was the greatest leader if I couldn't think of another one we came across in our lives. He had the smarts to lead us well and kept us close, even when we try to spark an argument- he was always there to stop us.
Or me if he wasn't around. You could say I was second in the leader position- sort of ... if Winter wasn't right there by his side. Winter is a cold-hearted person but a great person to be around, even if she insults us constantly. We all take it as she loves us in her own ways.
"I'm back with dinner!" Tyler called out, halting by the campfire and spotting the water bucket in my hold. "Oh, perfect, Purity! As always, go ahead and purify it for tonight."
"Alright!" I nodded, smiling afterwards.
I dropped it when I heard, "Finally! I've been starving on ends," coming from my brother. I narrowed my eyes, turning my head and shooting him a glare. He froze in his steps, glancing at me with a nervous look. "It's not dinner yet brother, be patient. And besides ... isn't it about time you help out with the rest of us? It's been five days since you haven't done again but stand around near the edges of our old camps." I questioned him.
He glanced away, voiding my gaze as he fiddled with his fingers, "I... I'm working on it..."
"With what? Arguing with Carla isn't gonna get you anywhere." Tyler eyed him down with a stern expression.
My brother glanced at both of us quickly before giving up his act and frowned, "Fine!" He sighed before continuing, "I haven't been getting anything done due to losing my spear from the last ambush. And since ... I lost it, I ... don't know what else to do."
I grumbled quietly, disappointed by my brother's lack of skills, "Have you ever thought about learning to hunt with me in your panther form? Did that ever cross your mind?" Tyle asked, sitting down and pulling out a knife.
"... I- It did once! but...-"
"Let me guess. Too much to work with?" Tyle cut him off, gazing down at the rabbit's body. He set the two down on the side and started with the first one.
".. N-No ... It wasn't! It's just ..."
"You were just becoming as useless as a dead animal. You know, I wonder why we never left you behind as you're the only member in our group who doesn't do shit." A cold voice jumped in, making me turn my gaze over at the Icolk. Winter was here as she seems to be back scouting from parts of the forest around us. "You are a disgrace to every creature who lives through these woods."
Tyler slowly looked up at her, disliking the statement she said, " I wouldn't say disgrace-"
"Don't say a word, Tyler. It is the truth of this useless folk." Winter sneered at my brother.
"... Okay, dear." Tyler sighed and nodded quickly, appearing nervous from her intense aura. He began to cut the fur that he pitched together before getting a good enough hole to peel it right off.
"And only three?"
He flinched and froze, slowly glancing up at her, "There's enough to go around ... besides, I'm quite wary of this area as humis been here."
"Fine. Throw me a rabbit. Let's make this process quick." She grumbled quietly, sitting down next to him and pulling out her own knife.
"Alright." He smiled nervously and grabbed one to give to her. I turned over to the holder on top of the campfire before placing the bucket next to it. I glanced back at my brother who was still standing there with a hurt expression. Sometimes I wonder why Winter constantly insults him the most than us. Maybe because the more insults you gain, the more she hates you. Or ... it could mean that you do not meet her expectations of hers. I suppose the fewer insults mean you're on her good side.
Anyway, my brother should have known that but instead ... became a waste. I sighed through my nose, speaking the next, "Go find me the materials to make you a new spear, Castit."
I prefer to reframe myself to even call him by his name because it wasn't a true one. Castit quickly gaze at me and nodded, turning and rushing off like an obedient animal. "Should have been harsh on him, Purity," Winter told me.
"Remember, we weren't raised like you were, Winter." I reminded her. Besides, I felt a little sorry for him, just a tiny bit- that is all.
"Sometimes going-"
"Focus on the rabbit, dear," Tyler told her off, receiving a grumble in response from her. I smiled softly, focusing on my task. I grabbed two rocks and hit them against one another, releasing a spark on the third hit. It landed on the logs and lit up in flames. I nodded before grabbing the metal rod and placing one on each side before putting the last metal rod with the bucket handle on it on top. It hung inches away from the flames. I nodded once more, having my hands on my hips. Okay, just gotta wait until it boils now.
"Purity." I turned my head to the left, backing away from the campfire when my brother arrived.
"Got the materials?" I glanced at the long stick and notice how its fellow branches were cut off. At least he knows he wants this and wants to be useful to the group. I could feel Winter rolling her eyes in the background at him. But ... there's one thing I can't believe about us. When we first were out here all alone without our ... mother ... he was the one who taught me how to survive out in the wild. And now ... it's me teaching him how to defend or fetch for himself.
Can't believe it's been swapped around. I sighed sadly, I hope mother is ...
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"Purity?" My brother's voice snapped me out of my head as I grabbed the materials and dropped my frown. I can focus on that thought later. We both sat down as I got to work. I grabbed the rock that seem to be carved enough to be sharp. I blinked, sharpening it even more. If he knew he could do this on his own, why did he need me to do it? Every item for this tool is already good enough to become one. He could have just done it on his own and made us proud.
What happened to the brother I used to know? The one who's always looking out for us? Where did that all go?
Once I finished sharpening it, I went over and flatten the bottom of the rock before placing another flat placement on the stick. Surprisingly it wasn't thin as the last one was. Perhaps he learned from his mistake. Once that was done, I tied both together tightly with vines. And there. All done. I stood up and tested the spear for a moment, giving it a few swings before turning it over to my brother who stood out of the way.
"Don't lose it again. And if that moment ever happens, you know how to make it since you've watched me." I told him. He nodded in response as I handed him the spear. "Better make some lucky catches with those."
He'd nod, turning and walking away with nervous steps in his awakening. I shook my head slightly before turning it over to the two who were butchering the rabbit in silence. I folded my arms and sighed, glancing over to the bucket of water that appeared to be hot at the bottom. I rushed over and glanced in, noticing it was beginning to boil. I smiled in glee and leaned back away from the fire.
Now ... time for the rest of the materials.
Our surroundings became dark quickly as I could tell night was here. It spooks a couple of us, but I am never bothered by its invisible touches. The campfire's light lit up our surroundings, battling against the faint light of the new moon that was gazing from the horizon. Everyone was gathered around the campfire, taking turns to chat for a bit before food was passed around. We got our share in and ate in silence as usual.
Until Carla interrupted it with, "So ... when will we continue like this?"
"Until we find the right spot that can be marked for safety," Tyler answered.
Carla growled a little as she didn't like that answer, so she continued, "What about finding another colony to settle in?"
"The ones that dislike us?" Winter voiced in, giving her a cold gaze.
"No! Ones that will accept us without being picky!" Carla huffed as her flames grew a bit bigger."
"The colonies we came across don't believe in such a way like that. A dream like that could come for thousand of years." I said, resting my head on my knees.
"Exactly." Winter agreed with me.
"Not all colonies are the same guys!" Carla growled as her flames grew bigger. I could tell she was getting annoyed.
"Well either we find a cave or we don't. We're not attempting to join a colony any time soon, Carla. The last four rejected us as one of them was working for the humis!" Tyler told her, shooting her a glare.
Carla pinned her ears and turned away, curling up with her back facing us. Tyler sighed annoyed and turned back to his finished meal. "Why do you want us to join one? We're doing fine on our own anyway."
"... It's ... because of them," Carla answered in a mumble, turning her head back and lifting up a paw to point at me and my brother. I raised my brows, wondering what she was talking about. "I wanted to see if ... any ... colony that held their mother in them. I want to believe she's still alive out there."
I frowned, sadness overcoming me as my brother was the same way. We sat next to each other but never wrapped our wings around one another for comfort. We used to do that a few months ago, but now, we don't. "... Oh." Tyler frowned, glancing up at her before turning to us. "That was your original plan, right? To find them and go off with her?"
"... I... I would like for you guys to come but if you don't want to then it's fine." I spoke quietly.
"... At the same time ... there is something I've been looking for," Winter spoke, looking a little hesitant before dropping the look. "Remember how I told you guys I was going to leave?"
"Yeah. You told us you were going to leave the next month and never did." Carla nodded.
"Well ... it's much wiser to stick with a group. And if ... what you say about joining the "perfect" colony to look for your mother, why don't I get some help on finding my own?" She asked, glancing over at us. Four of us were baffled as we didn't know what she was talking about. "Lost my brothers to a humi attack as I was sent by my parents to get them back." She explained.
"Oh, gosh darn it... why do the humis ALWAYS RUIN FAMILIES?!" Carla snarled, flames spreading all over her body until she was frozen solid by Winter.
"Chill." Winter glared at the lioness. "But yeah, that's what I'm going to do. Haven't found a single clue yet but ... I might be sliding on Carla's idea of joining a colony just to see if there's a way to get them back."
"We ... Oh!" I sat up completely, an idea popping in my head. "We could find a colony that rescues creatures like us from the humis!"
Tyler widened his eyes, tilting his head. "... Didn't we come across one?"
"That one was picky!" I grunted, glaring away. "... But I doubt we'll find it anyway."
"There's ... always a chance, sister," Castit whispered.
I nodded slowly, shutting my eyes before placing my hands on either side of my head. This ... This world is so cruel with those monstrous creatures ruining everything that comes in their greedy way. I wish we could have attacked them when our kind met them centuries ago. Shortly the flame died down and we were in our sleeping bags, except for Carla.
I stared up at the night sky, taking in view the stars that shined and sparkled in the high sky. I closed my eyes, letting a sigh pass out of my mouth. "... Do you think we will finally find mother in ... those future colonies?" I heard my brother whisper closely to me.
Right ... forgot he was sleeping next to me. I opened my eyes and gaze over at him who was sitting up with his arms on his knees. His multicolored eyes glowed faintly in the darkness as I sat up to answer his question, "I don't know. Do we even know if she ever joined a colony after we were forced to flee our old one?"
"... I ... I still think to this day it was a horrible decision to flee our old colony." He frowned, turning his head away from me.
"... Yeah ..." I mumbled quietly, nodding my head slowly. "I suppose that is true. I mean, we were surviving quite well for a year- all four of us ... until our aunt vanished the day before we got ambushed."
"... Maybe she got better luck than us."
I snorted before frowning, "Maybe she did. Being on her own and all of that- she ... probably had better luck." I nodded afterwards, agreeing with him. "We'll find her ... Castit." I cringe a little at that sentence, shaking my head slightly before staring at him.
He shuffled his wings closer to himself as if trying to hide from the light itself. I tilted my head, wondering if he knows that I hate him. Before the years of last year, we used to constantly have a conversation with one another. Always get in trouble with the other members and get scolded. We would always comfort each other of the horrors from the nightmares we continue to have through the ambushes. But last year ... we ended up getting criticized by Winter.
Well, Winter picked on Castit's behavior for the longest and when she did the same to me, I immediately stop the silly acts with him. I told him on multiple occasions that "it's time to stop acting like children and become mature," whenever he wanted comfort from nightmares he could deal on his own time. He's a man now and he needs to learn how to act like it.
I blinked and watched him lay back down on his sleeping bag and cover himself with his wings. I rolled my eyes, turning away from him. Jeez, I never knew the signs of his stupid, childish behavior. I'm glad Winter made me realize them. I laid back down and glanced up through the ice shield that Winter put up several seconds ago. My eyelids slowly closed as I yawned, drifting off into the abyss to jump into my dreams.
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I opened my eyes quickly and noticed my surroundings were moving away from me in a quick motion. I widened my eyes and looked behind me, realizing I was falling into a ravine. I looked back up at the sky as I recognized a hand- my mother's hand! I reached out and attempted to grab a hold of her hand until the darkness from the ravine crawled all over me, pulling me into the nightmare abyss. It filled my head, causing me terrors until I felt the reality of someone shaking me. It made me shake the horror off as I opened my eyes quickly, appearing in the real world.
I immediately sat up and glanced over at my brother who looked nervous about my awakening. He placed a finger over his lips before turning and pointing at the group. I narrowed my eyes, confused for a moment before getting up. I padded over to them, hearing their whispers as I came closer, "... Uh ... what happened-"
"Shush," Winter whispered in a cold voice. "The humis can hear you."
I widened my eyes in horror, feeling panic rise within me. "The humis haven't found us yet ... Winter, they have only been discovered in this area when we slept," Tyler whispered to her, shaking her head.
"And thus, we should move immediately," Winter whispered.
"But it'll be a wrong move!" Carla whispered in her lioness form, "It's an ambush I tell you!"
"So what if it's an ambush?" Tyler asked and turned towards her, "Why if that vision told you it was one? We're not going to sit here and take the hits, Carla. We have to move, regardless."
Carla didn't like that idea but she droop her ears, frowning at the facts. "... But, we always listen to my visions whenever there's danger." She whispered, sounding more of a whimper.
"Not this time we will listen, Carla. We have listened far too many times to your child-like visions." Winter whispered coldly.
"They're not child-like! They're real and they help us! You have to admit that, Winter!" Carla shouted at her at a whisper level, just a little louder.
"And yet, they all failed." Winter glared at her. Technically speaking ... some of them have worked before in the past, but ... I'm too scared to tell her otherwise.
Carla frowned as I heard my brother's voice speak in, "... I really think you should ... listen to her visions about this one ... I have a bad feeling this time around."
"Who cares if it's a bad feeling this time around, Castit? All of the other times before in the past were bad times!" Winter whispered with a hiss at him.
"Okay, enough you guys. We're-" Tyler was cut off by the sound of an explosion that happened behind us. At the same time, the ground shook from the impact as all of us were shaken and stunned by the cause. We turned around with wide eyes before Winter immediately grabbed my arm and Tyler's, pulling us in the opposite direction. I turned to her before widening my eyes, forgetting about the other two. I turned my head to them as we were getting farther away.
"Winter wait!"
"Forget about the two, they can sacrifice themselves for us," Winter said, interrupting Tyler's call.
No hell in a way we're leaving Carla behind! I hissed in my thoughts, spotting the humis appearing out with all sorts of guns, along with bags of nets right at their sides. "CARLA! BOLT FOR IT!" I shouted at her. Carla thaw herself and turned towards me, pinning her ears against her head before running into Castit and nudging him over to us.
No! Leave him behind, Carla! We don't need him. He'll be a perfect distraction for us since ... he was frozen in place at the time. I turned and ran after the two, making sure Carla and my useless brother were following behind us.
We only discovered the humis that have entered this area and yet ... it feels like they knew we were here in the first place. They knew! So ... why didn't they attack us when we were asleep? Did they all just wait until all of us were awake so they can make us suffer even more? I shook my head, rubbing my ears as the sound of yelling from the monsters' voices was hurting them.
Tyler halted in a clearing past some trees as we all did the same, making us confused. "Move Tyler! They'll catch us!" Winter hissed.
"Running in a group like this is a horrible idea. We need to split up to confuse them. They'll never have enough folks to hunt us all down." Tyler hissed back at her as she grumbled. "There was only a group of five, maybe six ... but that'll give us a chance to escape."
"Good idea-"
"Everyone in their creature forms, go in random directions and run as fast as you can. Do NOT get yourself captured! Meet near the Vined Forest when you aren't getting chased anymore." Tyler cut off Carla as the two of us nodded. . I shifted into my small dragon form before darting away from the group. I dodged bushes and tree roots, running in a direction I didn't know. I immediately halted when a gun fired in front of me. I gazed up at the humi pointing a long gun straight at me.
You are kidding me?! I jumped to my left, thinking I dodged the next attack but roared in pain from its hits. One of its many bullets grazed my foot as it made my running slow. I clenched my teeth and jumped into the trees' branches, struggling to get on the branch before continuing my escape along the branches. I slithered upon them, hearing gunshots continue throughout the trees behind me.
I never dared to look back, even if a few bullets grazed my limbs, my wings, and my head. Were they shooting in random directions for a chance to get me?! I snarled and jumped through a vine hold, falling out of the tree and onto the ground. I winced in agony as I glanced behind me, staring at the vine shield that was suddenly there. Actually, it was always there, I just didn't see it through the trees. I flinched when bullets landed right next to me, making me jump to my talons and ran limping into the vined forest. Traveling deeper into the unknown.
I rushed through the forest, ignoring my lack of breath, the tiredness, and the pain that continues to erupt throughout my body. I believed that the humis were behind me- infact, they felt like they were all around me, watching my every move. I tripped into a clearing, falling on my back, and sliding on the ground as I yelped some more. I quickly struggled to get on my feet as I snapped my jaws at the figures all around me. They seem to back away in a frightening appearance, making me think that I was fighting them off all by myself.
I winced from the sharp breathing I took as I choked on my own breath. Did they already stab my neck?! Why can't I breathe properly?! I soon felt all of the feeling in my limbs disappearing as I roared loudly before snarling at myself. I turned around to give them a tail lash before collapsing onto my side. I plummeted into darkness, seeing nothing at all.
Damnit ... curse the humis, my last thought would say before I was met with silence.
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- End of Chapter 1
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